Die Ärzte – constantly challenging

Die Ärzte's provocative punk humour isn't for everyone. For almost 20 years, Debil their 1984 debut album was deemed unsuitable for playing on certain public media, and two other albums are still listed today. But since reforming in 1993, the cocky trio has enjoyed greater success than ever before.

Die Ärzte came together in 1982 in West Berlin in the wake of punk rock and the New German Wave. 'Nach uns die Sintflut', their live triple album and their first number one in the German charts, signalled the band's temporary breakup in 1988. Since 1998 however, Die Ärzte's albums have made a habit of reaching number one. They have fans in Austria and Switzerland, and even went on tour in South America in 2004. Farin Urlaub and Bela B., the band's two founding members, have recently also been very successful with solo albums.